Believe Me: Creative minds and The X Files

Hello Believers. It's a special edition of the show speaking to journalist, writer, poet, musician, entomologist and northern powerhouse, Gary Hartley. Gary studied journalism at the University of Sheffield before embarking on creative endeavours as a performance poet under the name Gary from Leeds, performing across the UK with shows such as Yet-I and Gary-baldi. He ran the literary magazine...

Hello Believers. It's the Season 2 finale with writer, actor, performer, podcaster and comedian Holly Burn. Holly is an acclaimed character comedian and actor who has been described as fearless, innovative, inventive, surreal and many more things besides. Holly talks about why the internet must die, putting her shows together, what audiences want from her, running her own brilliant podcast and The...

Hello believers. Today Chris speaks to DIY and punk musician and frontman of Yawn Control and Chips for the Poor Scott Bradbury. In the chat, Scott talks about growing up in the East Midlands, how songs come together, exercising his mind and his body, his own paranormal and supernatural activities, changes in the gig scene in the UK and The X Files Season 2 Episode 24 'Our Town'. Follow Scott at c...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to playwright, screenwriter and performer Ben Target. Ben's critically-acclaimed play LORENZO won The Scotsman’s Fringe First Award and received Off West End Award and Holden Street Theatres’ Award nominations. The show had sellout runs at Soho Theatre (London) and Summerhall (Edinburgh) and is transferring to 59E59 Theater (New York ) and Sydney Opera House Stu...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to Film and TV writer, novelist and poet David Macpherson. David is the creator and writer of the Amazon Prime Original series 'The Rig'. After a series of short careers including working in the UK parliament, working for the police in the area of youth justice and working on environmental policy alongside the Scottish Government, David transitioned into writing...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to art historian, educator and writer of 'How to Enjoy Art', Dr Ben Street. Ben is the author of several books on art for general and younger readers on the subject of art, how we respond to it and how to demystify it. He has also written for numerous publications, including museum catalogues, monographs and magazines, and has participated as an expert on TV and...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to dancer, choreographer and Artistic Director of Dance Base, Tony Mills. Prior to taking over at Dance Base, Tony was Artistic Director of Room 2 Manoeuvre (R2M). He has worked with Freshmess Dance Company, State of Emergency, Off Kilter, Iron Oxide, Curious Seed, David Hughes Dance Productions, All or Nothing Aerial Dance Theatre, Scottish Ballet, Derevo, and...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to theatre producer and Festival Manager, Ailie Crerar-Blythe. Ailie is based in Glasgow and currently works for the National Theatre of Scotland and has worked on shows such as Exodus by Uma Nada-Rajah, Thrown by Nat McCleary, and June Carter Cash: The Woman, Her Music and Me by Charlene Boyd. She has worked with Mascarade Opera Studio, Glasgow International, P...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to Scarborough based drummer and fabric maker, Rosie Martin. Follow Rosie on her instagram account for lots of brilliant things that she makes and updates on her DIY band Orchard who currently have a tape out on Cruel Nature Records. Rosie is also the author of No Patterns Needed: DIY Couture from Simple Shapes which offers a straightforward route into making yo...

Hello Believers.  Today marks the return to the podcast of comics writer, artist and warped visionary Jon Chandler. Jon has some new work out at the moment so do check that out via his website, if you’re hard enough. Jon talks about UFO sightings, the landmark Betty and Barney Hill incident, James Earl Jones, Remote Viewing and why Jon won't be becoming a psychic spy any time soon, his own brushes...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to voiceover artist, writer, musician and podcaster Mark Restuccia. Mark is an award-winning audiobook narrator under the name of Dan Calley with over 200 audiobooks under his belt. He also wrote, produced and sound designed the award-winning Best in Galaxy podcast where he voiced over twenty characters over five seasons. In the chat, Mark talks about living in...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to Edinburgh based magician scientist Kevin Quantum. Kevin has wowed audiences on Faking It, Britain's Got Talent and his own 90 Minute special which aired to 7 million people across the UK. He has been trained by Penn & Teller and runs the Edinburgh International Magic Festival alongside performing magic all across the globe. In the chat, Kevin talks finding hi...

Hello believers. Today Chris speaks to model maker, animator, illustrator and filmmaker Cat Johnston. Cat studied animation in Wales before moving to London, Portland and now Hastings. Her work is influenced by folk art, nature and childhood memories. Her illustration clients include Penguin, the Financial Times and Linda McCartney Foods. Cat talks about her folkloric influences, the cult of faceb...

Hello believers. Today Chris speaks to film critic, writer, podcaster and essayist Kat Hughes. Kat is a UK based writer with an enthusiasm for genre cinema. She is a member of the Online Film Critics Society and has written for Arrow Films, Film Stories, Movie Marker and many others.  Kat talks talks about changing trends in horror cinema, genre filmmakers and their obsession with the 1980s, the r...

Hello believers. Today Chris speaks to severe weather historian Carly Anna Sisson. Carly is the creator of CarlyAnnaWX, a Youtube channel dedicated to remembering devastating weather events and the effects on their communities. She also runs Two Storms, an apparel store which aims to bring awareness of storm anxiety and natural disaster-induced traumas with a good chunk of the profits going to men...

Hello believers. Today Chris speaks to therapist, writer and stand-up Gerry Howell. Not that we're defined by what we do but Gerry is a BACP Registered Psychotherapist who uses humanistic, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural in his work. Gerry is also an award-winning comedian, actor and writer known for his brilliantly inventive and surreal wordplay. Gerry talks about being a person and not a...

Hello believers. Today Chris speaks to Cinema & Projects Manager at Manchester’s Cultplex Cinema and Founder of MoshFilm Fest, Greg Walker. Greg has also worked for Festivals such Manchester Animation Festival. Sheffield Doc Fest and and Pilot Light TV Festival. Greg talks about programming rep cinema, new audiences discovering cult films, growing up in Barrow in Furness, building your own fie...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to award-winning chef and restaurateur Dan Ashmore. Dan is the owner and head chef of the Leith based fine dining restaurant Askr and has worked at a number of prestigious restaurants and chefs in his career including Dean Banks, Gleneagles, The Pompadour by Galvin, Number One at The Balmoral, Restaurant Tom Aikens, The Square and Fischers at Baslow Hall. Dan ta...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to Scottish writer and paranormal psychologist Evelyn Hollow. Evelyn is also an expert for various TV shows and podcasts — most recently the smash-hit BBC shows The Battersea Poltergeist , The Witch Farm, and Uncanny. She is also seen in the Warner Bros. TV shows Spooked Scotland and Spooked Ireland, which stream on Discovery Channel+. Evelyn gives guest talks o...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to writer, filmmaker and critic Robyn Adams. Robyn is based near the Peak District and is the writer, director and star of the short films Katie & Joan Go to the Museum (2023) and The Estrogen Gospel (2024) which screened as part of SOHOME Horror Pride 2024. Robyn talks about The North (of England), folk horror, telling new stories, the welcome embrace of th...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to musician, songwriter, producer and artist Andrew Hung. Andy is one of the founding members of electronic drone band Fuck Buttons. He has released three solo LPS: Realisationship, Devastations and most recently Deliverance. He co-wrote and co-produced Beth Orton's album Kidsticks and composed the soundtracks for the films The Greasy Strangler and An Evening wi...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to film distribution and exhibition consultant and now head of Metis Films, Ben Metcalf. Ben has worked at companies such as Curzon/Artificial Eye, Momentum, eOne and Altitude on hits such as Nightcrawler, Mr, Turner, and I, Daniel Blake, record breaking horror film Talk To Me, and awards winners Spotlight, 12 Years A Slave and 1917. He has recently set up Metis...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to comedian, actor, writer, musician and mega myth Nick Helm. You'll know Nick from his ferocious stand-up work in shows such as Keep Hold of the Gold, the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award nominated Dare to Dream, This Means War and There Is Nothing You Can Do To Me That I Haven’t Already Done To Myself. You might have his albums Nick Helm is F*cking Amazing and H...

Hello Believers. In this episode, Chris speaks to classical musician, teacher and (his) former comedy partner, Tom Davies. Tom studied music at The University of Sheffield and regularly performs with classical groups and bands in and around the Steel city including The Sheffield Beatles Project. Tom talks growing up in Stoke on Trent, identifying traits in his family that he sees in himself, survi...

Hello Believers. Today Chris speaks to writer, journalist and Guardian Fashion and Lifestyle editor Morwenna Ferrier. Morwenna has written about travel, fashion and culture for Grazia, Metro, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian amongst others. Morwenna talks about needing to be good, her route into journalism, being motivated by revenge, a unique approach to the fashion industry, therapy,...